A King's Fall
by Hazelnut Pie
Summary: Twelve year old Zeus always thought he was just another orphan living in a cave, but when his grandmother reveals his identity, he will have to learn to face his fears to defeat Cronus, King of the Titans and become the new king.
1. Prologue: Birth of Zeus

The first thing that Zeus saw was two enormous golden eyes, brimming with tears.

At the time, he didn't know that the leaky liquid was tears. It was nothing, anyways, compared to what was around him. After so many days in darkness, finally, light!

The two enormous golden eyes were fixed on a pale, smooth face, with a delicate nose, and full lips. The woman-it had to be a woman—was incredibly beautiful, with long, flowing golden hair that seemed to be everywhere. It looked nice, so Zeus grabbed a few strands with his tiny hands.

The woman suddenly smiled, and brought him closer. Zeus heard her say something. He didn't understand. "My little boy," she whispered, her voice sounding like honey. "My poor little boy, who is about to face a terrible fate." Her golden orbs suddenly began to glisten and more of that leaky liquid flowed out of them. Without knowing why, Zeus suddenly felt sad too. Even though he only knew this woman for a few minutes, he would do anything to see her happy. He started to cry, too. Maybe she'll feel better? Her voice sounded vaguely familiar, like from a past memory that was half-forgotten. The woman, Zeus realized suddenly, was his _mother_.

His mother seemed to realize that he was crying, too. She immediately wiped her tears away, and said, "No, I must stop crying. This time, I have a plan. This time, I won't stand by and watch as another one of my children get swallowed by _him_." She looked down at him tenderly, and Zeus felt safe and happy. She wasn't so sad anymore, which was good. "I shall call you Zeus. And you shall be my last child. May Gaia protect you." She broke down again. The words seemed final, like a goodbye.

Another voice, belonging to a younger woman, spoke up. "I know you are feeling very distressed and heartbroken right now, my queen, but the king is about to come soon. We must act quickly before he takes Zeus away, too." She sounded distressed, but Zeus only cared about what his mother was feeling right now.

His mother sniffled, and then looked up. "Is the rock here?"

"Yes, it is here, my queen."

"Good. I just hope that he is too…eager to notice it." She looked down, her eyes even brighter, magnified by the tears. "And that means that it is time for me to give you away to Gaia. Goodbye, my dear child. I hope that we would reunite one day, under better circumstances." She trembled a little, and the younger woman reached out her arms and his mother hesitated a little before handing him over, then looking away. Zeus didn't know much, but he knew that something bad is going to happen soon. He didn't like a stranger holding him, so he stretched his tiny arms out to his mother and cried out, hoping that she would take him back.

But this seemed to make her more anguished, because she began to sob, and shout, "Take him away! Take him to the back entrance and hand him to Gaia!"

The woman nodded and took Zeus away; leaving the last image that Zeus saw in the room was of his mother crying into a pillow.

Rhea managed to compose herself after Zeus was gone. It had only seemed a second ago that he was in her arms, but he is gone now, to wherever Gaia had taken him, and for the greater good for all of them.

_How did this happen? _She wondered, as she turned to a small cupboard next to the bed. _How did all of my children get taken away from me? _She opened the cupboard and pulled out a bundle wrapped in swaddling clothes.

She could hear him now, walking down the hall to the birthing room. She closed the cupboard and held the bundle to herself, pretending to nurse it. It was a poor substitute, but it would have to do.

He walked in, and Rhea looked up. She was used to this now, because she had done this five times. She held the bundle up to him wordlessly, and he snatched it away from her. She watched, completely detached, as he held it close to his mouth as if he was about to kiss it, and then opened his mouth far wider than any normal human could, and swallowed it in one big gulp.

The first time, when their first girl had been born, Rhea had screamed. She had tried to take the girl back, but he pushed her back roughly. Now, after four more children, it was like she was watching it happen to someone else.

_This was easier than I thought_, she mused, as he smirked and simply walked out of the room, without any words. _He didn't even notice that the bundle was cold_.

Zeus was bawling when they reached the door. The woman still didn't give him back yet, and she didn't seem to be listening to him. She had just ran down the hall and turned to go to a very green place, with the smell of something unfamiliar but pleasant in the air.

In the middle of the green place was a woman sitting on a bench. Her back was facing them, so Zeus could only see her hair, which definitely different from his mother's. It was a pale color and there seemed to be green vines growing from it, as well as a lot of flowers and leaves and even some branches with fruit.

The woman holding him stopped a few feet away. Zeus had quieted down because of his curiosity. Even at a few minutes old he could tell that this woman was not to be trifled with. It was a long time before the woman turned around.

Zeus almost started to cry again, because she looked so much like his mother, with the same features and expression. She stood up and walked towards them. She had a slim figure, and her clothes seemed to be made of leaves, flowers, and shifting mud. But for someone wearing mud, she walked like she was wearing fine silk and jewels.

The younger woman bowed. "Mother Gaia." Gaia nodded and she straightened.

"Hand him over." Gaia said. Her voice also sounded like honey, but there was something else underneath it, like rocks. Zeus felt even more uncomfortable already. He did not like this woman very much.

Zeus was distracted by a couple of blue flying things when he felt a different set of arms encircling him. He looked up and thought that it was his mother, but the eyes were different. Instead of gold, they were dark green.

"Come, my little champion. It is time to begin training for your destiny." She smiled, but it made Zeus shiver. He looked down to avoid looking at her and realized the bottom part of her was connected to the ground, where grass was growing over her dress.

_Is everybody like that?_ He wondered before he felt the earth swallow him, taking him to the cave where he would be living for the next twelve years.

* * *

**Yay, new story. It always bugs me how all the decent stories about the Titan War are discontinued, so I decided to start my own. This is a spur of the moment thing, so it might be a while before I can think of ideas. Read and Review!**


	2. Chapter 1: The Events of Zeus's Birthday

_He was standing in the middle of nowhere._

_It was dark, so dark that he couldn't even see his own hands if he had been waving them right in front of his face. But somehow he knew wherever he was big and empty. It had that feeling._

_He didn't know why he was standing there, but he got the feeling that he was supposed to wait for something, which was frustrating, because he hated waiting for anything._

_He tried to move, to get some feel of the place, but found that he couldn't. He was rooted to the spot._

_He wanted to scream but found that he couldn't do that either._

_The air around him tingled. It smelled odd, and he felt a feeling inside of his gut. Something was about to happen. _

_For a moment, he was so tensed up for whatever was about to happen that the blood seemed to be rushing to his ears, blocking off his sense of hearing so that he couldn't even hear his own heartbeat in his ears. His palms were dripping with sweat._

_Then an earth-shattering BOOM sounded around him. It charged through the roadblock in his ears, making him want to cover his ears and curl up into a ball, but finding he also can't do that (he was seriously hating this place). He was stunned for a few seconds but was recovering when something else happened that made him nearly have a heart attack._

_A jagged, white light came down from the top, whatever it was, and shot down to the ground with a CRACK. The impact was so explosive that he expected again to topple over or something. Debris flew everywhere, miraculously missing him._

_He stared at where the light had hit, frozen. He had never seen this thing before. What was it? It seemed dangerous and deadly. It was probably the most beautiful thing he had ever seen his life._

_Just as he was playing the whole thing over in his head again, the jagged light came down again. He stared at it in awe and fear as it struck…_

_Right on top of his head._

"AHHHHHHH!" Zeus yelled, sitting up his pallet, his blanket falling to his knees. He gasped and looked around, sweat dampening his bed and his blond hair. He was breathing in big gulps, and his heart was racing a hundred miles a minute. He shook his head, trying to calm himself.

_It's okay_, he told himself, feeling scared without really knowing why. _It's just a dream. You're not going to die. You're back in the nice, safe, quiet, non-threatening cave._

"ZEUS!" a shrill voice sounded outside of Zeus's room. There was a loud thumping of footsteps approaching closer as the owner of the voice rushed in through the door, a worried expression on her face.

"What's wrong? Are you okay? Did you fall out of your bed? Are you hurt?" the woman ranted, as she came over and gave Zeus a very thorough once-over check. A goat followed her in, bleating loudly.

"I'm fine, Adrasteia, don't worry so much." Zeus said, trying to reassure his caretaker, which wasn't easy, because she worries about a million things every day.

Adrasteia gave him a stern look. "Well, you sure didn't sound fine when you woke up. And how can I not worry about you?" she gestured wildly. "Screaming your lungs off first thing in the morning, messing up your bed, waking the goat up…" The goat gave another bleat at this. "You should be glad that I'm not making you walk the goat right now!" For some reason, every time Zeus did something wrong, Adrasteia always made him walk the goat.

Zeus tried to make himself look more normal. "Look, Addie, I'm really okay now! I just feel a little hot and dizzy right now, but I'm-" his words were cut off as Addie gave a strangled scream as she pushed him down on his bed, pull the blankets right under his chin, and practically shoved him into the bed as she placed her hand on his forehead, checking his forehead.

"You have a fever." She said a few moments later. She was trying not to scream again. "You. Must. Stay. In. Bed." She stood up and paced the room, muttering to herself.

"But I don't have a fever." Zeus tried to say between her mutterings, but she just ignored him. Zeus caught something like "soup" and "herbs", and knew immediately what was going to happen.

"Addie, it's my birthday today, remember?" Zeus pleaded, trying to sway her before she made her decision. "You can't have a birthday without cake! Please don't make me have _that _soup. Please! Have mercy on me!" But Addie shook her head, already making up her mind.

"Look, Zeus, I know it's your birthday. Happy twelfth birthday, by the way." She gave him a kiss on the forehead. "But you have a fever, and sometimes drastic situations cause for drastic measures." She went towards the door, and then turned back. "Stay in bed. Do not leave this room. Get rest. I will come with an ice pack shortly. The goat will keep watch." She rattled off before hurrying down the hallway to the kitchen.

Zeus sighed, knowing that once Addie made up her mind about something she'd never change it. He leaned back on to his pillow. _Might as well go along with it, _he thought.

The goat bleated, like she knew what he was thinking and she agreed.

_Not even the goat remembered my birthday. _Zeus thought, feeling a bit depressed. _This is going to be the worst birthday ever._

For as long as Zeus could remember, he'd always lived in the cave with Addie, his nursemaid, and Amalthea, the goat.

From a very young age, Zeus somehow realized that he wasn't meant to be living here. He was supposed to live somewhere else, with his real parents. Where, he didn't know. Maybe another cave in another mountain or a big palace on Othrys.

As for his parents, Zeus knew nothing about them. He used to spend hours fantasizing about them, wondering who they were and what they looked like. Were they commoners or one of the twelve Titans? Did they give him his blond hair and blue eyes or did he look nothing like them? Now that Zeus was older, he didn't care anymore, but he sometimes couldn't help but wonder…

Did they abandon him for a reason? Were they horrible people who enjoy leaving babies in caves on mountains with total strangers? Or were they simply a couple who just didn't want a child? Did they even remember him?

Now that Zeus was older, he knew he shouldn't be dwelling on these things. After all, he's got Addie, who was the most important person to him in the world, even if she is naggy.

One of the few things he had that he thought had connected to his past was a small, golden ball that fit perfectly in his hand. It was made of pure gold and had rows and rows of jewels embedded in it. When he was a baby, he soon found out that if he pressed the right jewels down, the ball could do amazing things. Like if you press down an emerald and a ruby, the ball would light up with a hundred different colors. Or if you pressed down an amethyst, a topaz, and a garnet, the ball would levitate in the air and shoot beams of light. It was, hands down, his most favorite toy in the world and only he has discovered its secrets. Even now he's still finding out secrets about the ball. But one thing he could never solve was the ball's origin.

Zeus was a hundred percent sure that it wasn't Addie who bought it. It was way too extravagant a thing for goat nymph to buy. It must have come from someone rich, someone who probably lived in the big city on Mount Othrys in a big palace and for some strange reason, decided to spend money to buy a toy for an orphan boy living in a cave on Mount Ida.

But no matter how many times Zeus thought and thought about his past, he just couldn't remember anything. Sometimes, if he tried hard enough and strained his brain so hard he thought it might pop, he could recall shiny golden hair and the smell of earth filling his nostrils. He didn't know what the earth part meant, but he was positive that whoever had the shiny golden hair was his mother. He didn't know why he knew that, he just did.

But what he supposed to do with that memory? After all, there must be hundreds of people in the world who had golden hair. Was he supposed to go through every village and asked every single blond woman he encountered and asked if they ever gave a baby boy? That idea was supposed ridiculous that Zeus switched topics to think about. It gave him a headache whenever he imagined it.

Zeus woke up with a start. He didn't even know that he had fallen asleep. He looked around with blurry eyes and stretched, feeling a lot better than he did in the morning. He noticed that next to his bed was a pile of sheets and stacks of bowls with remains of soup. Zeus shuddered. Addie must have fed it to him when he was sleeping. No wonder there was a bitter taste in his mouth.

Zeus decided he might as well get up and do something. He can't just stay in bed for his birthday, even if the day was going downhill.

Amalthea seemed to have the same idea as he did, because as soon as he was standing she went behind him with unnaturally fast speed, butting him with her sharp horns and almost making him topple through the entrance. He glared at the goat, who was staring back at him with a look of distaste, if a goat could do that.

Zeus got the hint that he should go outside immediately if he ever wanted to sit down again, so he yelled, "I'm going out!" in the direction of Addie's room. Addie yelled something back that Zeus couldn't hear, but was probably something about hygiene or not going into the other cave.

Which was weird, because there was no other cave. At least, not anymore.

For as long as Zeus could remember, ever since he could walk, he was told firmly that he could never, ever go into the other cave. Zeus didn't know why, because when he asked Addie, she never told him. He didn't really get what's so special about the cave. It looked like any other ordinary cave, rocks and all. One time, when Addie was out to visit Melissa the bee-nymph for some honey, Zeus gathered up his courage and tiptoed into the cave entrance. That was the first and last time he ever went in there, because the cave had scared him out of his wits.

When he first went in there, the first he noticed was the smell. You couldn't miss it, because it was so strong. It was the smell of earth.

It smelled like flowers and dirt, trees and grass, mud and stone. It smelled as if someone had decided to dump nature inside a tiny cave. The smell was so intoxicating and, well, earthy, that Zeus sneezed twice.

For some reason, the smell made Zeus nervous. Later, he realized that it was the exact same smell from his memory.

Zeus was determined not to be scared of just a smell, so he forged on. He walked through the cave, noticing that the cave no longer seemed to be made of rock, but vines and flowers and dirt as the cave came to the end, which was filled with light.

Zeus was amazed. He began to run towards the light, Addie's instructions completely forgotten. How could she have kept this from him? But that was just like her, never letting him have fun.

He finally reached the end and the source of the light. Not even Helios's chariot can give off light this bright. It completely dispelled the darkness, blinding Zeus.

He managed to walk through, covering his eyes with his arm. When he thought it was safe to peek, he nearly fainted.

In front of him was the biggest tree he ever seen. It reached up towards the sky, the branches covering practically a small town. The leaves were huge, some even bigger than Zeus, and all in different shades of green. There were vines and flowers covering the trunk, which was so thick and tall that Zeus felt like an ant compared to it. The roots came out of the ground, practically burying Zeus. And the scent the tree gave off nearly swept his off his feet, because it was so overpowering. This must be where the smell was coming from, Zeus thought as he stared at the tree in wonder.

How could someone missed this giant of a tree? He had never seen this tree in his life, and he had a feeling it was in another world, hidden by magic. Whole cities probably could have lived in this tree, feeding off the giant fruit and drinking off the lake-sized dew on the leaves.

Zeus was so busy staring at the tree that he didn't notice the old lady sneaking up on him. She tapped him on the shoulder and Zeus thought his heart might explode. She had been so quiet, her footsteps barely rustling the tall grass.

"Welcome, young man, to the Garden." The old lady said in a surprisingly young sounding voice. She didn't look extraordinary or anything. Her grey hair peeked out from under her hood, and wrinkles covered her face like lines on a map. But her eyes, even though they were squinting, were a bright shade of green.

"Um…hello. I was just, uh, visiting. I didn't do anything!" Zeus stammered, wondering why he felt so nervous. He backed up to the entrance. Why am I so scared of an old lady, the still calm part of his brain thought.

The old women smiled, exposing perfectly white teeth. "A visitor? Well, why didn't you say so? It is rare that we have anyone come here. I don't think the whole 'secret' thing helps, though." Even though, she was still smiling, her eyes were hard as she looked at him. "And you, young man, shouldn't you be getting back to your caretaker? She would be home any minute now, and I imagine that she would deeply worry when she realizes her charge in missing."

"H-how do you know I have a guardian?" Zeus practically squeaked, feeling like the old woman was growing taller and taller. Why am I acting this way? The rational part of his brain continued to scream, and why do I feel like I know her?

The old woman ignored his question. "This behavior is simply not acceptable for a young man of your destiny and lineage! Disobeying your guardian, shirking off responsibility! How can you become king with this attitude?" she lectured.

Zeus just stared at her, wondering if the old woman was senile or something. Did she just say "become king"? Him? And what about his destiny and lineage? Did this woman know his parents? He opened his mouth to ask a question, but what came out of his mouth was, "Do I know you from somewhere?"

The old woman's face softened, and she smiled gently. "My dear, everyone knows me. After all, I created them." Then she pushed him towards the tunnel. "Now go! And don't come back until you're ready!"

_Ready for what? _Zeus thought as he stumbled through the dark going outside. The old lady must be insane, he thought.

When he went outside, he breathed a sigh of relief. The sunlight was so dim compared to the light inside the cave. He turned back, wondering if he could see the light from here. And then his jaw dropped.

Because the cave with the tree disappeared.

Zeus was wandering outside, playing with the bunnies and squirrels. The other cave still wasn't there. Didn't Addie know that the cave was gone? He thought, as one of the bunnies jumped up on his arm.

He went inside the forest, stretching his half-asleep legs, feeling the pins-and-needles sensation in his feet. The forest always made him feel good, because no matter how deep he went inside, he could always find his way out. The animals followed him like he was hypnotizing them.

He sat down under his favorite tree, an oak, and thought about everything. His memories, his life, Addie, even the other cave. The old woman's words came back to him. What was his destiny? Was he meant to go on living in a cave forever, or something bigger?

"You guys think I can become a king?" he said to the animals gathered around him, not really expecting them to respond. "Yeah right. That'll happen. King of Lame, maybe."

The animals looked at him with their beady eyes.

Zeus decided to drop the subject.

It was getting dark by the time Zeus decided to return to the cave. There were storm clouds gathering in the sky. It was going to rain soon, and Zeus had no intention to catch a cold for real. He said farewell to the animals and rushed to the cave just as thunder boomed above him.

He made it in just as the rain started to pour down. He turned to stare at the storm.

Unlike most children, when Zeus was little, he wasn't afraid of storms at all. On the contrary, he used to wish for everyday to be raining. Something about thunder calmed him down and made him feel happy for no particular reason. He loved the sound of rain falling and the color of the clouds covering the sky. Storms were the equivalent to lullabies to Zeus.

A loud crashing sound followed by curses broke Zeus out of his reverie.

Zeus tensed. Was there someone in the cave with Addie? Addie never swore, or drop stuff. Was there a burglar here? If so, why would they rob a cave?

Zeus tried to shake off his fears and tiptoed towards where he heard the sound, which seemed to be in the direction of the kitchen. As he got closer, he imagined in his head what he would do to catch the burglar: he'll hide behind the curtain, and as the burglar turned his back unwittingly, he'll leap out, pounce on him, and become the hero of the day. Maybe that'll make this day better.

As he approached the door, Zeus could feel his heart beating so fast and loud, it's a wonder that the burglar hadn't already heard him. As he went closer to the kitchen, he heard hushed voices yelling at each other quietly, if that was possible. Zeus tensed his muscles, ready to jump in. He silently counted in his head: _One, two…_

_THREE!_

"AAAAHHHH!" Zeus yelled, jumping on the first figure he saw. The figure responded by yelling back and trying to pry Zeus off his back, who was grabbing on pretty tightly and kicking the figure's back as he held on.

"Get off me, you blockhead!" the man—Zeus decided it had to be a man—yelled in a familiar sounding voice. "It's me! Kelmis!"

Zeus froze, making his fingers losing their grip on Kelmis and dropping on the floor. The pain was forgotten as embarrassment took over. He stared up at Kelmis weakly, who was glaring down at him. "K-Kelmis? It's y-you? I thought a burglar broke in here!"

Kelmis snorted, reaching down and setting Zeus upright. "A burglar? You must have bumped your head on something, boy, to think of something so ridiculous. This cave is impenetrable. Nothing can get in."

Zeus was about to ask Kelmis if he was insane when another voice piped up from somewhere near the counter. "Hey, Kelmis? You're supposed to be hiding, you idiot!" Zeus spun towards the voice in bewilderment when from behind someone else yelled, "Surprise!"

He could only stare as the kitchen was magically filled with people he knew, who seemed to be coming out of nowhere. There were Kelmis's brothers, the Curetes, who were groaning because of the tiny spaces they had to hide in because of their size. There were some nymphs from the forest, who were smiling at him in that nymph way. Even Melissa the bee-nymph was there, buzzing around on her iridescent wings. And of course, Addie and the goat were there. Addie was smiling at him and holding out her arms.

"You didn't think I forgot, did you?" she said.

Zeus could only stare.

The party was the best Zeus had ever had.

There was cake, topped with Melissa's special honey, and lots and lots of treats, all of which contained large amounts of sugar. There was entertainment, in which the Curetes told their travel stories and the nymphs did their nature magic. And of course, there were presents. Zeus's favorite was the knife from Kelmis, but it Addie didn't seem to approve of it.

When it was midnight, the guests were getting ready to leave. Zeus felt exhausted by happy. He should never have doubted Addie. This day was cannot possibly be ruined.

And then there came the woman.

* * *

Yes, finally! I finally finished this chapter! I'm so sorry for the delay! No amount of sorry could possibly make up for this! High school was beating me up and my computer broke down! *sobs*

Anyway, I hope anyone who is still reading this (doubtful) can forgive a sucky author for her crimes.


	3. Chapter 2: Where Zeus Gets His Destiny

Zeus wanted to hide behind the goat.

The old woman seemed to block off the exit, even though she was all hunched over and wrinkly. There was a vibe from her that seemed to say, "Disobey me and you'll get hurt". So, naturally, nobody left.

But that wasn't the worst of it. Not at all.

The woman standing right in front of him was the same one that he met all those years ago, in the other cave that was somehow non-existent anymore. And she seemed to be staring right at Zeus with creepy yellow eyes that glowed in the dim candlelight.

Everyone seemed paralyzed by fear and caution. Well, everyone except the goat, that is. It was walking around, acting like there isn't a scary looking old lady blocking the exit, which it was for her to do, since she had impenetrable fur. Zeus had found that out the hard way.

Finally, Addie decided to speak up. She cleared her throat and tried to keep her voice from shaking. "Excuse me, ma'am? Do you need help?"

The old woman replied without taking her gaze off of Zeus. "Why, no, nursemaid of Zeus. I believe _you _are the one who needs help. And this is the boy who will free us all." She pointed a bony finger at Zeus.

Zeus was considering bonking the old woman on the head. Here she is again, years later, and still talking crazy things about _him _saving the world. _I'm just a kid! _He wanted to scream at the old lady, who was acting like she didn't say anything at all. He got the courage to speak up.

"Um…ma'am?" he said tentatively, thinking that any minute now the woman was going to use crazy dark magic on him and turn him into a rat. "I think you got me mixed up with the wrong person. Just like you did when you talked to me in the other cave." He immediately wished he hadn't said the last part, because the way Addie was glaring at him made him wish he did get turned into a rat.

The old woman chuckled, a creaky sound that reminded Zeus of old trees and that were getting blown by the wind. "My, what a modest child you are! I can see your nursemaid raised you well. But, I guess not so well that you aren't rebellious, too! That is a good trait for the savior of the world to have!"

Zeus gave up on correcting her.

The old woman walked with surprisingly fast speed towards the stools, where she sat upon one and gestured to Addie and Zeus. Zeus looked around, wondering why she didn't ask anyone else to join them, then realized with a shock that everyone else were frozen in their places. Everyone…except the goat.

The old woman seemed to be reading his mind, because she said, "The goat is part of this story too, Zeus." She made a sign to the goat to come over to her side, and, to Zeus's amazement, the goat actually obeyed her and placed her head under the old woman's hand.

"Amazing." Addie said in wonder as she sat on the stool opposite to the woman. "She never listens to anyone."

"Oh, she would listen to me." The old woman replied.

"Why would she?" Zeus asked as he came closer and sat down. He got the feeling that the old woman is a lot more than she seemed.

"Because, my young prince. I am Gaia, goddess of Earth and mother of all living things." The old woman smiled, showing perfect teeth. "And I'm about to tell you your destiny, Zeus."

_Oh man, _Zeus thought through his shock. _What has this old lady been eating?_

He looked over at Addie, expecting her to have a look on her face that she often had when he made up excuses about why he didn't do his chores. But the look on her face was strangely calm and accepting, like she'd been waiting for this to happen.

_Then, _Zeus slowly realized as his emotions finally came through the disbelief. _She really is…Gaia? _Addie could see through any lie, and that did kind of explain why she had been in the cave with the tree. That cave must have been one of her sanctuaries, Zeus realized.

The old woman—Gaia, he corrected himself-had been watching him with a smile on her face. A smile that seemed to hit some part of his brain where his earliest memories are hidden. Where the smell of earth and long blond hair lingered.

"Are you…" Zeus tried to keep his voice from shaking. He had so many questions to ask. "The one who brought me here?" He may not know much, but he was pretty sure Gaia wasn't his mother. Her children were supposed to be as tall as the sky themselves and so strong that they could lift mountains out from the earth. Zeus was scrawny and short for his age.

"You are a sharp one." Gaia said, petting Amalthea on the head. "That is another good quality. And before you ask, I do know who your mother is. And the reason why she gave you up."

Zeus felt like he had just been punched in the stomach. Gaia had plucked out his deepest desires and had tempted him like putting an apple in front of a starving man. All doubts about Gaia are gone now. She was definitely who she said she was.

Zeus sat forward, eager to listen. Gaia sensed his readiness and began the story.

_I think I should start from the beginning, when the world is new._

_Once upon a time, when this world is not as civilized as it is now. I had a husband. His name is Ouranos, god of the sky. His eyes were the deepest of blue and I immediately fell in love with him._

_Soon after our union, our first children were born. They were triplets. They each had fifty heads and one hundred arms. I named them the Hecatoncheires, and I couldn't be prouder of them._

_Ouranos disliked them on sight, but he tolerated them. But when my second triplets were born, the Cyclopes, who each had one eye on their forehead. He could take it no longer. He took my children…and tossed straight into the pit of my brother, Tartarus._

_You couldn't have imagined the grief and anger I felt, as I watched helplessly as he picked them up and tossed them in without a thought. But I managed to suppress my anger and my grief. I would avenge my children, but not yet._

_Later on, the twelve Titans are born. Ouranos loved them, because unlike their siblings, they were tall and beautiful, with their own personality._

_I saw my chance for revenge. I gathered the twelve of them and said, "My children, whoever could defeat your father with this sickle of adamantine shall be the new ruler of the world. Who is brave enough to avenge your mother and your siblings?"_

_None of them were brave enough. Their father was practically undefeatable. It would take a whole lot of power and cunning to do so. But I didn't give up on them. I kept encouraging them, pleading with them, until finally, one day…_

"_I'll do it, mother."_

_It was Cronus, my youngest son. He is not as strong as his older brothers, but he is the wiliest and trickiest of the Titans. He will succeed._

_So we hatched a plan. When Ouranos comes to bed at night, Cronus will lay in wait, hiding, and take Ouranos by surprise. Cronus's older brothers, Iapetus, Hyperion, Crius and Coeus will hold him down, and Cronus will use his sickle to cut Ouranos to pieces, so that he will have to retreat back to the sky and lose his human form._

_The plan succeeded. Ouranos is defeated and Cronus is the new king. I was proud of him, and waited for him to free his imprisoned siblings. He would, after all. He promised me._

_Time went by. The Titans had children. Cronus married his sister Rhea, who had been in love with him even before he overthrown their father. The world was slowly populated with new Titans. _

_He still didn't free them._

_By now, I knew the reason why: He was afraid of them, just as his father did. I knew nothing had really changed, and Cronus was going to be a tyrant, swallowed by his greed for power._

_So there is a new prophecy. Given by the Oracle of Delphi. A child of Kronos and Rhea will overthrow him, just as before. _

_Naturally, Cronus got paranoid and afraid. At that time, three children were already born to him. They were Hestia, Hades, and Demeter. Cronus was especially fond of Hades, the boy. But that didn't stop him from swallowing the three toddlers whole._

_Rhea was heartbroken. She could hardly watch as her fourth child, Poseidon, was swallowed right after his birth._

_She tried to hide Hera, her fifth, among the children of Oceanus, who were totaled two hundred back then. It was easy to hide her, as there were many daughters. But when Hera reached ten, Cronus discovered her and swallowed her too._

_Rhea could take no more of this. She went to me to hatch a plan. When her sixth and final child was born, the baby would be taken away by me and be raised by a nymph in one of my sanctuaries, hidden away from Cronus. It was decided that Rhea's servants, the Curetes, would guard the cave. The child would not know his true identity until he is of age. As for Cronus, he would swallow a rock wrapped in a blanket so he wouldn't suspect anything. His mind was very far gone by that time._

_The plan worked. The child knew nothing, until now._

Zeus's brain felt like it was going to explode form all the information. He sat there, frozen, trying to process it.

"Does that mean…" he whispered after a very long time. "I'm the son of Cronus?"

"What do you think?" Gaia said, acting like she didn't just change Zeus's life forever.

Zeus stared down at his hands that he saw a million times every day. They looked the same as they did, but somehow Zeus felt changed, like he was different person than a few minutes ago. His head felt tingly.

"So…I'm supposed to overthrow my…father?" It felt weird to say that out loud.

"Yes, but that wouldn't be for a long time. You aren't ready and your powers haven't developed yet. Besides, you'll need allies, like your brothers and sisters." Gaia smiled at him. She was plotting something, Zeus could tell.

"How am I supposed to do that?" He still couldn't get his head around the idea of having siblings in the first place, much less rescue them and actually interacting with them. He wondered if they'll hate him because he was the only one who was saved. What would he even say to them? They probably knew each other way better than they know him. Would he be excluded? All of these worries made Zeus slouch.

"Worry about saving them first before you try to talk with them." Gaia said, reading his mind once again.

That made Zeus feel worse. How on earth was he supposed to sneak onto Mount Othrys and make Cronus throw up his siblings? Zeus was pretty sure Cronus wasn't the talking type, not after what he just heard.

"Don't worry Zeus, I will send you some help. You will succeed." Gaia saw must have saw his face.

"How can I succeed if I don't have any powers?"

"You'll get them when you are old enough. It depends on the immortal."

Gaia stood up, ready to leave. But Zeus had even more questions. He called out the first one on his mind.

"Is this your true form?"

Gaia turned toward him with a surprised look on her face. She certainly hadn't expected him to ask that.

"No, Zeus, it's not. But one day, I'll show it to you. Be careful, though. An immortal's true form can be deadly, especially to mortals."

Something about the way she said that tugged at Zeus, but he didn't know why. But that was quickly forgotten as Gaia left the cave, and to Zeus's amazement, so did the guests, following her like dogs led on a leash. Zeus inhaled, surprised by the freshness of the air. He'd gotten so used to that earthy smell he forgotten it was even there.

Just then, Addie cleared her throat from behind him. Zeus whirled around. She'd been so quiet he'd forgotten he was there. Which was totally not like her at all.

"Did you know?" Zeus asked numbly.

"Yes." She replied, Amalthea the goat stood in front of her like a wall of fur.

Zeus considered yelling at her, crying, running away…but he couldn't bring himself to do that. After all, this was the woman who had raised him ever since he was born. She was family, whether they are related by blood or not.

So instead he simply just hugged her. The two of them stood like that, with Amalthea trying to sneak between them, for a long time.


	4. Chapter 3: Where Zeus Meets His Help

Zeus had spent the next two weeks in a daze.

The words of Gaia seemed to echo through his brain constantly. Especially the part of about Cronus and Rhea being his parents. More than once, Zeus had bumped into a wall or tripped over the goat.

Addie, worried about Zeus s safety, suggested that he go stay in his room.

Zeus lay on his bed and stared up at the ceiling. Sometimes he wondered if the whole thing with Gaia had just been a dream. But Addie s even more worried face soon removed his doubts.

Even though Zeus lived far away from Mount Othrys, he had heard rumors of the Titan king from the nymphs. They had said that he used to be a benevolent king, but recently he had become withdrawn and paranoid, even cruel at times. They whispered that he rarely came out of his palace anymore because he had been working on experiments, mutating his prisoners to become his guards...

How could someone like that be his father?

The worst thing was, Zeus didn t even know what they looked like. Living on a mountain in the middle of nowhere did not exactly give him access to information.

Zeus focused more on his mother. He was now a hundred percent sure that the golden blond hair from his memory belonged to his mother. At least he knew that he looked his mother. And that she had held him and named him before giving him away to Gaia.

He knew he should resent his mother for not keeping him and standing up to his father, and even favoring him over his siblings, who were trapped inside of Cronus (Zeus shuddered at the thought). But he still couldn t find the strength to hate her. She had been doing it to save him and the world. She had to make a noble sacrifice: her last son for the good of the world. But Zeus still felt a bit angry.

And what about the help that Gaia promised? No one had showed up, and Gaia seemed to have gone back to wherever super powerful gods went, because Zeus hadn't heard from her since his birthday.

Thoughts swirled inside of his head. He paced the room, something he had started to do recently. He had never felt more confused in his life. What was he supposed to do? Did he have to go to Othrys right away? The way Gaia had said it, it was like she expected him to defeat him in no time. Did she think he was powerful? He could barely fight. Zeus had watched the Curetes fight with their spears before, but he never asked to learn. He now regretted it.

"I'm getting nothing done here." He muttered to himself. He walked towards the cave opening. Fresh air always calmed him down and made him think clearly.

* * *

An hour had past, and the forest had done the trick. Zeus felt a lot better, because he managed to convince himself that if Gaia really wanted him to succeed, she would guide him towards her goal sooner or later. For now, all he had to do is wait.

He was walking towards the cave with a much lighter heart when he heard rustling from the trees.

Zeus immediately climbed up an oak. He wasn't sure why he was hiding, but he knew that the rustling sound wasn't coming from the usual little forest animals or the nymphs. It felt dangerous and foreign. He crouched on the branch, hidden behind the leaves, staring at the spot where he had heard the sound.

Just as expected, he had no idea who the two people were. They were both male, with lots of muscles and wearing armor with a symbol of a sickle on the breastplate. They held swords and spears and shields, all looking polished and lethal. Zeus gulped. He had a feeling who sent those two men, and who they were looking for.

The man with the big beard looked like he was about to collapse from walking through the humid forest with heavy armor. "I can't walk any longer. How long are we going to walk until we get to that blasted cave?" his face was covered with sweat.

The other one, a young looking guy with spiky hair, rolled his eyes. "Come on, old man. Don t tell me you re so weak that you can t walk through a tiny forest?"

Beard Guy glared at him and tried to swing his sword at him, but Spiky Hair just laughed and dodged. I don t even understand why we have to dress in full armor to fight a nymph and a kid anyways. They aren't exactly threats.

"Yeah, but Cronus ordered us to take precaution in case Gaia tries to protect them. Who knows what they might have? And that kid might have some power, since he is an immortal, anyways. Spiky Hair replied.

_If they know I'm an immortal, why do they think they can kill me_? Zeus wondered. _Is Cronus that insane? _

As if reading his mind, Spiky Hair continued. "But no worries, our weapons are made of adamantine, the strongest iron in the world. That kid won t stand a chance."

"I wonder why we have to kill him anyways." Beard Guy wondered aloud.

"Who knows? But we can t disobey his orders, even if he is way off the deep end. He might perform his experiments on us. Or worse." Both men shuddered. Zeus thought that the experiments must be horrible for two grown men to have that look of fear on their faces.

As the soldiers continue to head toward Mount Ida, Zeus started to panic. There was no way he can outrun two obviously fit grown men in order to warn Addie. He felt his stomach plummet at the thought at what these men were going to do to her. He can't let them hurt her.

So he did the stupidest thing someone could ever do.

"Hey! Looking for me?"

Maybe it was because he wanted to prove himself to Gaia, that he really is that new king she kept talking about, maybe it's to find out whether he really has powers, or maybe he just wants to mask all that insecurity with courage. He felt completely distant, like he was watching some other blond kid who was supposed to be the son of a king and a queen jump down from the tree, right in front of the soldiers, who had stopped and was staring at him in amazement. Somewhere in the back of his head, he felt a small voice screaming, "What are you doing, you idiot! You are going to get killed!"

Spiky Hair managed to get over his astonishment to laugh. "You just made my job easier, kid! Never expected you to come to us on your own!" he was probably really expecting the army, Zeus thought.

"I admire your bravery. But unfortunately, that has no place in this situation right now." Spiky Hair continued, stepping in closer with his sword. "I'm supposed to cut off your head and show it to Cronus, so...let's just make this quick, okay?" he looked at Beard Guy. "You want to do the honors?"

"It'll be my pleasure." he replied, stepping closer to Zeus, about to cut his head off.

Zeus really, really did not want to see his own blood. He also hoped it did not hurt too much. He closed his eyes.

_Well, this is it_. He thought, expecting feel the cold adamantine through his neck any minute. _I've had a nice run. I just really, really hope that Addie manages to escape. I hope that someone, nymph or animal, manages to tell her. Oh, why I didn't I tell anyone? I'm an idiot! This is all my fault. And Gaia's, for having horrible judgement. She should have known that a sissy like me can't possibly do anything! Wait...how am I having time to think right now? Can you think after death? _

If Zeus had opened his eyes during his state of panic, he would have been amazed to see that dark, rolling clouds had suddenly covered the once blue sky. He would have noticed the metallic smell of a storm in the air and hear the boom of thunder. The two soldiers, noticing this, had begun to mutter to each other nervously about "unknown powers" and "son of Cronus", and Spiky Hair had motioned to Beard Guy to get on with it.

He also would've noticed the magenta-haired girl, who had followed the soldiers from a distance.

Sounds of shouts and fighting managed to break through his thoughts, and Zeus felt a little spurt of hope. Maybe someone had somehow managed to get rid of those soldiers! He opened his eyes a little, hoping that whoever had saved him had actually saved him.

The first thing he noticed were the two soldiers lying face down on the ground, seeming unconscious. The second thing he noticed was the girl, standing right in front of him with her arms crossed. She had short, straight magenta hair with bangs and two big curls at the front, framing her face. Her purple eyes made him feel uncomfortable, like she was deciding the best way to take him down. The most striking features was the flower-like scales on her cheek and the finned ears poking out of her head. Zeus found himself feeling more scared of her than he was of the soldiers.

"Are you Zeus?" she asked, like she was accusing him of something.

Zeus decided not to lie. He'd take her over any soldier any day. "Um...yes?" He prepared to run.

"Oh, good. I found you, then." she said, looking triumphant. "I was sent by Gaia herself to save you." she looked back at the two bodies. "And it looks like I got here just in time."

He felt relieved. She was sent by Gaia! She must have been the help he was waiting for! "Um, thanks for that. And...you are?"

She turned back to face him. "Oh, where are my manners?" she extended a hand towards him. "My name is Metis. I am the Titan of Wisdom."

* * *

**Happy Boxing Day, everybody! Some of you might find the description of Metis a little bit familiar. That is because I'm using the physical description of the Metis from "MYth", a webcomic by Zelda C. Wang. It's really good, so I suggest you guys to search it up! Thank you guys for reading this poorly updated sotry and for that first review! You managed to make me overcome my procrastination and actually write something. The chapters after would all be short, as I find that I'm bad at long chapters. I hope you enjoy this chapter!**


	5. Chapter 4: Zeus and Metis

After getting over his shock and embarassment for getting saved by a _girl, _Zeus had learned two things about Metis during their walk back to the cave.

One, she walked faster than he could run. Two, she was the most talkative and annoying , yet mysterious person he had ever met. Which was not saying much, as Zeus had been mostly isolated all his life.

As the pair walked together through the now twilight forest, Zeus had learned many, many things about Metis, so much that he wished that he had some cotton to stuff in his ears so that he wouldn't had to listen to her ramblings. _Why can't I have a nice quiet person to help me? _Zeus thought to himself. _Gaia had once again shown poor judgment in people. _Zeus had almost wished he was back fighting with the soldiers.

Regardless of the annoying tirades, he discovered many interesting things about Metis and the world outside of Crete. Such as the fact that since Metis was a sea goddess, she lived underwater with her 2000, Zeus was shocked to discover, siblings. He couldn't get his head around the fact he had five unknown siblings in Cronus's stomach, let along trying to take in 2000 siblings, living under the water together in a gigantic palace, as Metis had said. He was even more shocked when Metis had told him that she had only included her sisters in that number, and in fact she also had 2000 brothers, all living in their respective rivers which had been allotted to them by their father. We can only imagine the expression on his face when she had also told him that there were more siblings on the way. Zeus tried not to think about what Oceanus and Tethys did all day.

Metis also told him about the apparent history between Oceanus and Cronus, how because Oceanus did not take part in the overthrowing of Uranus, Cronus considered him a coward and weak, but Oceanus still loved his brother anyways. Cronus apparently also did not like the scales and finned ears of the Oceanids and the Potamoi (Metis's brothers), because he finds it unnatural and revolting, and so whenever they went on Othrys, they always had to use magic to hide their "deformity", a fact that infuritates Metis greatly.

Zeus had asked her about his mother, but all Metis would say was, "You'll meet her soon enough." That was the most infuriating part of the talk. _Why does she have to be so mysterious? _Zeus wondered, half-wishing Metis would fall or something, because she walked really fast and it was taking a lot of energy to try and keep up with her.

Weirdly, she seemed to know the way to the cave without asking for his directions. In fact, she seemed to know everything about the forest. Zeus watched her dodge tree roots and puddles and duck hanging branches a split second before they actually appeared in her path.

As Metis started to ramble on about her oldest sister Styx, who apparently has four children born with wings, Zeus looked up at the sky, which was now an eggshell blue and cloudless.

_That's funny, _Zeus thought. _I could have sworn it was about to rain a few moments ago._

Things weren't better back home.

After panicking and yelling at him for being so stupid (_How?_ Addie had screamed at him while he tried to avoid looking at him. _How did you think you were going to defeat two trained soldiers?_), Addie had taken one look at Metis and said, "I didn't know you have a girlfriend, Zeus." That caused Zeus to turn a bright shade of red and Metis to snicker behind her palm.

What was worse was that Addie had taken an instant liking to Metis. Part of the reason was because she saved Zeus. Another was that somehow Metis seemed to be charming whenever she was in the presence of another person other than Zeus. Even the goat seemed to like her better than Zeus.

Dinner was spent with Metis gabbing on about the secrets of Mount Othrys and how they should come up with a plan immediately about infiltrating the palace. Zeus spent the whole conversation playing with his food.

When it was bedtime, Addie gave Metis one of the guest rooms right next to Zeus's bedroom. He felt as though his privacy was being invaded. It didn't help that Metis has decided to go into his room.

"Wow, you should really clean up this place." she remarked, lookingat the dishevelled blankets and the scattered clothing. "I suggest that you-"

"Ugh!" Zeus covered his ears. "Stop talking. You're going to give me a headache."

Metis smiled, which caught Zeus off guard because she looked younger when she smiled. "Okay. But I just want to say that you look a lot like your mother. Good night." And with that, she left, leaving Zeus staring after her with his confused feelings.

* * *

**Not my longest chapter. I think all my chapters after this would be around this length.**


	6. Chapter 5: Where Metis Has a Plan

Zeus had his first dream vision with Gaia.

She was standing in the middle of a huge courtyard. It looked like someone's backyard. It had tall stone archways, trellises with vines and vines of growing flowers, and a large stone fountain with a statue of some man with a scythe. The statue made him feel ominous, though he wasn't sure why.

Gaia smiled at him. She was in a different form this time. She looked much younger, like a woman in her twenties, though Zeus knew she was ageless. She was extremely tall, had long green hair with flowers and leaves that seemed to be _growing _out of it, green eyes that seemed motherly and menacing at the same time, and was wearing a long form-fitting white dress with green spiral designs that covered her feet, making it seem like her feet was in the ground. Zeus was terrified.

"Why, hello Zeus!" she said. Her voice was strange. It seemed both high and low at the same time. It seemed to resonate throughout the entire world, even though this was only a dream. It took a moment for Zeus to realize that the air was filled with that sickly sweet smell of earth. "It has been quite a while since we've talked, isn't it?"

Zeus suddenly felt extremely annoyed. "Yeah, it has been!" he snapped. "I've waited for a sign from you for weeks, and then all of a sudden some crazy fish-girl with magic powder comes out of nowhere, and now she-and apparently you-expects me to just go charging into Cronus's palace and go rescue my siblings-without training! I think you need to make more time for talking, lady!" Zeus realized he was being rude to one of the oldest deities in the world but he didn't care. He was through being treated like a pawn.

To his surprise, Gaia laughed. It was a nice sound, like birds chirping or something like that. "Oh, Zeus. You still manage to make me laugh." she thought of something and burst into giggles again. "You're lucky Metis had her own dream or she would've strangled you for calling her a 'fish girl' !"

Zeus found her giggles both melodic and annoying. He wondered what Gaia was talking to Metis about. He hoped she was annoying Metis as much she was annoying him.

Gaia finally stopped giggling and looked composed again. "For your information, Zeus, Metis would be a very useful ally in your quest. She is one of the wisest goddesses you'll ever meet—that's why her name means wisdom—and you'd just have to get used to her. After all, in the future, you might have to spend a lot more time with her than you think!" She winked at him meaningfully and Zeus found that his face was very hot all of a sudden.

"Are you saying that I have to marry her in the future?" Zeus can barely comprehend kissing let alone marriage. He tried to imagine spending the rest of his immortal life with Metis, being bossed around by her forever. It was not a nice thought.

Gaia looked a bit sad what he had just said, like it stirred up unpleasant memories. "Perhaps, but the future is rarely clear. But that isn't what I'm going to tell you about. You must move to a new place."

Zeus gasped. "Why? We took care of those soldiers! They won't be coming back."

Gaia shook her head. "Not them. A bigger group, one less human, would be coming to hunt you. You would not escape so easily. My hold on this mountain is not very strong anymore, and they would find you easily. You must hide."

"Where?" Zeus demanded. He could not think about leaving Mount Ida, and he didn't think there was anywhere in the world where they could escape from Cronus.

"In one of my secret groves." Gaia replied. "There is one hidden in the forest near the my oracle. You must go there after you rescue your siblings. Don't worry, it wouldn't let an enemy in."

"Oh…okay, and where's the Oracle?" Zeus asked.

"You don't really go out much, do you?" Gaia remarked. "Metis will tell you where it is. Just say your name to the willow tree and you can enter."

Zeus was about to say that there would probably a thousand willow trees in a forest and how was he supposed to know which one is it when Gaia said, "Goodbye, and good luck Zeus!"

Then he woke up.

The first he saw when he woke up was something wet and smelled like goat.

"Gah!" Zeus yelled, jumping up. Amalthea's head had been right above his and Zeus was pretty sure her lips was right above his.

"Good morning!" Metis yelled from the door. "Did we give you a surprise?" She seemed too cheery for someone who had been visited by Gaia in a dream.

"Yeah, you did." Zeus glared, secretly grateful that he didn't sleep naked. "Some people actually want to sleep, you know."

"Laziness is not a good trait for a ruler." Metis replied, walking in. "You should learn to wake up early to practice your fighting skills."

Zeus slipped on his clothes, still feeling self-conscious that there was a girl who wasn't Addie in his home. "I don't have any."

Metis gasped. "You don't? Then how are you ever supposed to fight if you are in trouble." She seemed to be contemplating something. "When we get to Othrys, I'll find someone who can teach you."

The world Othrys reminded him of his dream. He told Metis about it, leaving out the part about them getting married. That was just too creepy to talk about, even thinking it in his head.

Metis seemed to be mentally taking this information down. "I know where the Oracle of Gaia and the forest is, I can take you there. But it is at least a day or two away, and we don't have much time, judging by the time these creatures would arrive." She thought for a moment. "I know! You and Addie can stay in the Palace of Oceanus for a while. No one would dare attack my father's palace, but Cronus might be desperate enough to do that. Still, it would be a safe haven until we get to the Oracle and begin our plan."

"You have a plan?" Zeus asked. But he was distracted by the thoughts of going underwater. Metis did not account for the fact that they couldn't breathe underwater like she could.

Metis smile proudly. "Yes, I thought of it in my dream with Gaia. It could work, but it's risky."

"Are you going to tell me about it?" Zeus asked.

"No." Metis said. "But you're going to play a big part in it. Now let's go for breakfast and try to convince Addie to leave."

It was surprisingly easy, especially after they told her about the army. And then Addie started to fret about what to pack and how they were going to get to the edge of the forest to the river in one day. And then Metis told them her plan.

Zeus's first thought was, "No way."

"Are you kidding me? You can't ask me to do that!" The idea of it made him feel slightly nauseous. This was somehow worse than getting killed. It was humiliating!

"Oh, come on, Zeus, don't be such a baby." Metis was trying—and failing—to make him feel better, because she kept smiling. "It's just a costume. And we all have to sacrifice for the greater good."

"And besides," Addie chimed in. "You could make a good girl, Zeus. You have your mother's face. And remember those dancing lessons you took with the nymphs?" She leaned in towards Metis and whispered something, and then they both giggled.

_Great, _Zeus thought. _They are now sharing some sort of girl bond. Now they are both in on this._

"I'm still not doing it. And besides, how are we going to get their bodies all the way to the oracle?" Zeus crossed his arms.

"I'll just call some people I know to help us." Metis stared hard at him. "Come on, Zeus. You have to do this. I can't do it, because Cronus knows my face. But he doesn't know yours, because those soldiers' memories are a bit scrambled up right now, because of that powder. This is the only way you can free your siblings. Besides, don't you want to see your mother?"

That hit home. Zeus wanted to see his mother more than anything. He sighed, making up his mind.

"Okay, I'll do it. But don't put any makeup on me."

The following afternoon they packed all the things that were light enough to carry. Zeus tucked his golden ball into his sack, relieved to see that it wasn't as heavy as it feels.

They said goodbye to the nymphs and the Kouretes. They all promised to distract the army as long as possible, and Zeus thought with a sinking heart if he would ever see them again. He silently prayed to Gaia that they would be protected.

And so the four—including the goat—set out west, towards the ocean, knowing their lives were about to be changed forever.

* * *

**I actually updated twice in a month! *Victory dance* And this chapter is pretty long, so I kinda lied last chapter.**

**Review!**


	7. Chapter 6: Where Zeus meets the Oceanids

"Well, here we are."

Zeus stared blankly at the spot where Metis was pointing at. It only seemed like water to him, and not someplace where an underwater palace teeming with fish people is supposed to be located at.

Metis noticed his blank stare. "This is the place. My house is located near Crete. I'd know it anywhere."

"Okay, whatever you say," Zeus still didn't know what to make of her. She was definitely annoying, but she risked her life just to save him from Cronus, even though they only met yesterday. Maybe Gaia did make a good choice after all.

Addie chimed in. "How do we get to your palace?" she asked, leading the goat to the water. She'd spent the entire trip worrying about getting caught and telling Zeus to stay quiet. Zeus was glad the trip was over. It was hot and the trees got so dense at one point that Zeus could barely see in front of him. He sat down, completely exhausted.

"I will call some of my father's steeds." Metis replied, then went to the shore and knelt down, like she was checking her reflection.

"Do you live with Hagno?" Addie asked, still standing next to Amalthea as she drank.

"No, I think she lives near Cythera. I'll tell her you said hello, if I get to see her." Metis replied without looking up. She was concentrating really hard on the water in front of her, like it had secrets that it won't tell.

"Wait, wait, hold on," Zeus interrupted, standing up. "I thought you guys all lived together. And who's Hagno?"

Metis snorted and Addie looked at Zeus like he was an idiot. "Of course we don't live together," Metis laughed. "That would be impossible, even for my father's palace. We elder Oceanids live in separate houses. Only the little ones stay behind, and once they come of age, they will also be sent away. I live with my sisters Peitho, Leuce, and Tyche. Electra used to live with us, but then she got married."

"And who's Hagno?" Zeus asked, still feeling embarrassed for being laughed at.

Addie answered him. "Hagno was one of your nursemaids when you were a baby." She explained. "She left when you were three."

Now Zeus had a hazy memory of a woman with dark purple hair and the same scales on her cheeks like Metis, feeding him crushed berries. He wondered if they still remembered him. It seemed to Zeus like more people know about his future than he does.

Suddenly, Metis whistled, a long, low sound, like a signal. Zeus was about to say something when he saw four ripples on the surface of the water. He tensed, thinking that they were under attack, when to his amazement, four creatures broke open the surface of the water.

They were unlike anything Zeus had ever seen. They all had white horses heads, but as their bodies went further down the white fur slowly became iridescent scales, which led down to a pale green fish tail. They whinnied, like horses, yet Zeus could see their gills.

"They are beautiful," Addie murmured. Even the goat looked stunned.

Metis went up to the largest one and patted its head. It nickered back, like a real horse, and flapped their fish tails in the water. "These are hippocampi," she said. "They are the horses of the ocean. We are going to ride them towards my home."

Zeus found two things wrong if that statement. "Um, how are we going to breathe?" he asked. "And how is Amalthea going to fit?"

Metis rolled her eyes. "You just have to hold on to the hippocampi and you will be able to breathe in the water, but once you let go, you would need oxygen." She smiled, like she would totally enjoy watching Zeus suffocate. "Amalthea will be carried by this hippocampi." She pointed to the hippocampi she just petted. It looked big enough to carry a goat. Zeus hoped that Amalthea wouldn't try to kick it or anything.

"Alright, what are we waiting for?" Addie clapped her hands together. "Let's go to the bottom of the ocean."

Zeus learned one thing about himself: the water is not his element.

Everything about it seemed to bug him. The pressure. The bubbles that came out of his mouth whenever he tried to talk. The wetness. It didn't matter that the the scenery was beautiful. Zeus would've given anywhere to be on land.

He looked around. No one else seemed scared. Metis was in her element. She looked happier than he had ever seen her. She was chatting excitedly with her hippocampi, who seemed to be talking back. Some sort of weird bubble language? Addie looked excited, eagerly taken in the colourful coral and the schools of fish swarming around them as they descended further. Even Amalthea looked less like she was going to kick someone.

Zeus sighed, which caused a stream of bubbles to flow from his mouth, and thought about the nice, crisp air above them.

Ever since Zeus was little, he'd always wanted to fly. That was the reason why he loved birds so much, especially eagles. They were natural predators, fierce yet graceful. He'd used to fantasize about what it'll be like to soar high in the beautiful blue sky, the air rushing around him, with only the birds and fluffy white clouds for company. He'd heard about Titans who had wings, and secretly wished that he was one of them, too. Many flying attempts had been made, always resulting in giant bruises and sprained ankles, with the occasional concussion.

Being someone powerful always seemed to be a fantasy, but now that he knew about his destiny…perhaps it wouldn't seem so absurd? Maybe he could be a god of the skies one day, if he won the war.

Zeus shook his head. He didn't want to think about _that._ He thought about something far more cheerful: his undetermined powers.

As Zeus was lost in thought, the hippocampi had been making steady progress to the bottom of the sea. Zeus did not notice the sudden coldness of the water or darkness. He didn't notice much of anything until he felt the hippocampi suddenly stop.

Metis turned around. "We're here." She said, climbing off. Zeus noticed that she didn't move her lips, and realized with a jolt of surprise that she had spoken in his mind. Addie looked surprised also, so Zeus assumed that Metis had also spoken in her mind.

Just when he was thinking that this day could not get any weirder, he looked ahead. And then his jaw dropped.

Right in front of him, was an entire house made out of glass.

Metis grinned. "Welcome to my home."

They had to ride the hippocampi inside the house in order to not suffocate. Once they got inside, Metis flipped sort of switch on a wall, and air came rushing back. Zeus breathed in, relieved that he was finally out of the water and breathing in air. The hippocampi left because they cannot stay in air for very long, and Metis thanked them by giving them some apples.

Zeus looked around, awed by how bright the house was. Even though it was at the bottom of the sea, it looked as though the sun was shining straight through the glass walls. Zeus could see the white seabed, the small and colorful fish swimming outside, and brightly colored sea plants. The water left a blue light through what Zeus guessed was the foyer. There were sea anemone in vases, white furniture carved out of marble, and paintings of Titans on the intricately carved walls. Zeus wondered how they got those paintings down here without the paint running.

Addie inspected the house. "Clean, neat, and orderly." She approved. "I like it. This house is already doing much better than _someone's _room." She pointedly stared at Zeus.

Zeus tried not to blush as he thought about his messy room. Then he wondered if that room even existed anymore. He felt a pang of guilt about not avoiding thoughts about the forest. He feverishly hoped that everyone was okay. Suddenly Mount Ida seemed years away.

Addie seemed to have the same thought. The smile slipped off her face and suddenly there was tension in the spacious room. Even Amalthea looked pensive, probably thinking about the green grass on Crete.

Suddenly a door that Zeus had overlooked swung open, startling all four of them. A girl with the same colored hair as Metis, except longer and curlier, strode through. She stared at them with the same gaze that Metis had used to study Zeus when they have first met. Her eyes traveled across Zeus, Amalthea, and Addie, before resting on Metis.

Then she broke into a wide grin and tackled Metis was a hug. "Little sister! I was wondering when you'd be back! Was it you who turned off the water?" then she turned to look at the others again. "Who are these strangers?"

Metis looked embarrassed by the tackle. "Peitho, please stop calling me 'little sister'." But she really didn't look like she minded. "These are my friends. This is Zeus."Zeus awkwardly waved. "Addie." Addie smiled. "And Amalthea." The goat bleated. "And everyone, this is my sister Peitho, the Goddess of Persuasion." She gestured towards Peitho, who smile and waved.

"It is so great to meet Metis's friends!" she exclaimed. "Especially a boy." She winked suggestively at Zeus and Zeus found himself growing red. Somehow Peitho's words seemed to resonate in his brain and sounded rich and full, like honey. Zeus guessed that was her power, persuasion.

Metis looked horrified. "What? No way! He's not my boyfriend!" she looked even more embarrassed than he felt.

"I never said anything about a boyfriend, Metis." Peitho said. "Don't tell me you were thinking about it?" Then she gasped. "No way. Little Miss Boys-are-a-distraction is considering dating? I've got to tell the others!" She turned towards the door. "Tyche! Leuce! Get in here right now!" she yelled.

Zeus and Metis were both trying to explain to Peitho that they were in no relationship whatsoever, with Addie hiding a smile, when two other Oceanids came in. One had curly orange hair decorated with coins, and another had dark blue hair with white streaks. Both of them had purple eyes like Metis's.

Metis was distracted for a moment and introduced the girl with the orange hair as Tyche, the Goddess of Luck and Fortune, and the dark hair girl as Leuce, a river nymph. They both greeted them, and then turned to Metis.

"Metis," Tyche said, putting her hands on her hips. "I thought you said that you'll never be seen with a boy as long as you lived. Were you lying to us?"

"Come, Metis, tell us." Peitho used her persuasive voice. "You can trust your sisters."

They both have the same expressions that the nymphs in Crete sometimes have when they are eager for more gossip about the Titans. Zeus made a mental note never to talk about his life in Crete.

It was Leuce who rescued them. "Sisters, where are your manners? Our guests are tired and obviously in need of rest. We will show them courtesy and aid them on their quest." She had an authoritative tone despite her soft voice. Peitho and Tyche backed down and looked sheepish.

"Sorry," Tyche apologized. "We were just happy to see Metis back and safe from Cronus." Then she brightened up. "But I just want you guys to know we are totally supportive of your plan."

"Yeah," Peitho piped up. "Besides, I can't wait to see Zeus dance."

Zeus groaned and felt himself grow warm. "Does everyone know about this?" _I've got to get some friends who are guys._

Everyone, even Leuce, was trying to hide a smile. "You have to blend in with us, Zeus, so some people have to know about this plan. But not all of them," Metis explained. "There are way too much of us going to the celebration, so most of them wouldn't even notice you, and those who do would just assume that you are new."

"Okay then," Zeus said. "Does your father know?"

The Oceanids looked at each other, then Leuce shook her head. "No," she said. "It is best not to involve him, or there would be trouble."

And on that happy note, Zeus and the others were escorted to their rooms and Zeus felt into an uneasy sleep about what the week would bring.

* * *

**For those of you who are wondering, the celebration is at the end of the week. As for what it's for and the rest of Metis's plan, you'll have to find out in the next chapter. Anyways, thanks for reviewing! **


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